Sneak preview held Aug. 16

Speaking in front of a packed house at the Moby Arena Hall of Fame Room, Hilbert, entering his 14th season at CSU, introduced each of the members of team and gave all in attendance a sneak preview of what to expect when CSU opens Aug. 27 at Moby Arena against ACC power Duke.

Colorado State is poised for a special season in 2010, returning five starters and 10 letterwinners from a 2009 squad that posted a 25-6 record, finished 17th in the national rankings and appeared in the Regional Semifinal round of the NCAA tournament.

Decorated roster returning

Colorado State returns a decorated roster for the 2010 season, including three players - Danielle Minch, Megan Plourde and Evan Sanders - who earned all-Mountain West honors in 2009. Minch, a senior outside hitter, was named the 2009 MWC Player of the Year. Head Coach Tom Hilbert is coming off of his seventh MWC Coach of the Year award. Minch and Plourde also return after having garnered 2009 AVCA all-West region honors.

Hilbert also noted the senior outside hitter Jacque Davisson has been impressive early in preseason workouts, and is ready to have an “outstanding senior season.”

One of the top recruiting classes

In addition to the Rams’ host of returning talent, CSU welcomes one of the top recruiting classes in the nation to Moby Arena. The 2010 freshman class was ranked 15th nationally by PrepVolleyball.com, the highest ranking among Mountain West Conference schools. It marked the fourth time since 2005 that the Rams appeared on the list.

According to PrepVolleyball.com, the Rams’ incoming class of Deedra Foss, Marlee Reynolds, Katie Rutherford and Kelsey Snider, will rank as one of the most physical classes recruited by Hilbert and his staff. In addition, the Rams have also added sophomore middle blocker Sam Peters, a product of Englewood, Colo. (Cherry Creek H.S.), who transferred to CSU after spending her freshman season at Santa Clara University.

Rams picked to repeat as MWC champs

Colorado State received 15 of 16 first-place votes to run away with the top spot in the PrepVolleyball.com, tallying 134 total points. Utah finished second in the vote with 104 points, followed by TCU (99) and New Mexico (96). BYU rounded out the top 5 with 85 points and was the only other program to receive a first-place vote. San Diego State (62) came in sixth, ahead of Wyoming (43), UNLV (36) and Air Force (16).

Two Rams also received recognition on the 2010 preseason All-MWC squad, highlighted by senior outside hitter Danielle Minch who was voted the favorite to repeat as Mountain West Player of the Year. Additionally, CSU’s junior setter Evan Sanders, a 2009 all-MWC selection in her first season as the Rams’ starter, was picked as the preseason Setter of the Year.

CSU enters the 2010 season looking for its 16th consecutive season with at least 20 victories and an appearance in the NCAA tournament.

Colorado State’s 2010 schedule will feature matches against six opponents that are either ranked or receiving votes in the preseason, highlighted by a Sept. 4 matchup at No. 13 Florida as part of the Gators’ Campus USA Credit Union Invitational.

The schedule also includes non-conference home matchups with Duke (Aug. 27) and Long Beach State (Sept. 17), both of which are receiving votes.